Smoker Boxes


 
Jon I hope you haven't wasted any money on that steam n chips. I had one and they honestly are not worth the scrap metal they are made of. Plus they leave your grill full of corrosive wood ash. In theory they should work well but in practice worthless
 
I already have one which was an original Weber offering on the higher end Genesis 4 I believe and an upgrade option on others. I intend to use it in the Genesis “1.5” I hope to make. I will occasionally USE this grill, and when I do I will just put the foil packet inside the box eliminating the definitely serious problem you mention. On a long cook I can just pop one out and another in.
 
LMichaels said:
Jon I hope you haven't wasted any money on that steam n chips. I had one and they honestly are not worth the scrap metal they are made of. Plus they leave your grill full of corrosive wood ash. In theory they should work well but in practice worthless
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Funny you say that, but admit to using chips in foil. I find both work about the same really. I would question what
you are doing that produces so much corrosive ash though. Anything longer than a 90 minute roti chicken would
be much better off in a more traditional smoker, or by simply using a different cooking method.
 
Admit to using chips in foil?! Did you actually READ what I interjected to Jon? My main issue was mediocre performance but even worse was the mess left behind. Yes chips in foil UNDER the grates works FAR better than smoke emanating at the same level as the grates and off to one side where it does not pass over the food. Chips in foil works GREAT and yes on things like longer smokes/cooks I even get a very nice smoke ring. So admit to having it do a great job? Sure you bet! Plus when you're done with a packet you simply discard it and the ashes rather than the mess being left in the grill
 
Don’t disagree that putting the foil wrapped chips (maybe even pellets?) under the grates works well and a more centralized location is a positive. My main goal in this application is for creating a historically accurate grill (with some “1.5” composite aspects as hopefully someday I can show:eek:) that features as much from the very first Genesis offerings as possible. The Steam N Smoke is definitely one of those. A secondary benefit, though, is that using foil packets dropped in this side smoker box eliminates the mess aspect but allows you to replace on the fly without moving grates. I see that as a positive that helps compensate for the side placement. I can’t say more until I try it myself.
 
Yah, I have to agree that having to replace wood chips in a smoker that is "under" the grates is a pain. But, I also think that having the wood down by the burners is a much better situation.
 
Bruce said:
Yah, I have to agree that having to replace wood chips in a smoker that is "under" the grates is a pain. But, I also think that having the wood down by the burners is a much better situation.
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Hey, where is your sense of adventure? Nothing more exciting than lifting a screaming hot cast iron grate and picking up an even hotter cast iron smoker box, dumping the ashes and reloading with fresh wood and grabbing that grate again to put the smoker box back. All at the same time getting you face roasted with 350+ degrees on a 105 degree day.
Just doesn't get any better than that.:p
 
When the rack of ribs falls off the tilted grate and into the bottom of the cook box, that is when it "gets better than that". :wsm:
 
Rich

LMAO. Been there done that so many times.

Maybe we need to invent flip grates like for gassers like the kettles have.

Actually, the Sam's club grill I had has a decent idea. It's a smoke box that slides in and out from the front of the fire box.
 
Bruce said:
When the rack of ribs falls off the tilted grate and into the bottom of the cook box, that is when it "gets better than that". :wsm:
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Kind of been there. Was changing out the smoker box and had a boat load of chicken drums and thighs on the grill last summer. Being the rocket scientist I am I thought I could slide the grate above the smoker box onto the other grate, got a little to much angle on it and three drums rolled off the grate on to the FBs. Can you say instant grease fire. Lost the three drums, they gave new meaning to crispy chicken. Just slid the grate back and didn't reload the smoker box.
 
LOL, I can relate Rich. I have found for most of my cooks, ribs included, that one round with the smoke is enough for me. The smoke flavor can get a little to strong sometimes and not everyone likes it.... Even with apple wood, I am good at one round of smoke. Even after the smoke ceases pouring out from under the lid, there is still smoke being introduced for quite a while. I have pulled my smoke box out after the smoke seeming ceased and found that the wood still left in the box was all black and charred, but after cooling and trying to break some of the chips, I found there was still unburned wood in the middle.
 
I'm the same way a little goes a long way. If you want to try a different type of light smoke try almond and beech, Beech gives a light sweet taste very good with chicken.
 
I pretty use apple for everything since I cut down an apple tree at my parent's house last summer. If I need something a little stronger, I will probably buy a bag of mesquite or hickory.
 
Never have had the issue of rolling meat :D I size my packets accordingly. Larger packets for longer smokes and small packets for quickies. I have rarely ever had to change them out. Nice thing about foil packs though is if you're so inclined to use multiples you can prepare a few ahead of time. Easy to do and frankly with a little practice not that hard
 
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